First beating heart surgery

- Breakthrough for N-E

OUR CORRESPONDENT

The surgery in progress. Telegraph picture

Shillong, Nov. 19: A beating heart cardiac surgery was conducted successfully for the first time in the Northeast on a 20-year-old Manipuri girl at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) here today.

The college student was operated upon at the institute in the department of cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery by a team of doctors led by its director, Dr A.G. Ahangar. The team comprised Dr P. Bhattacharyya, Dr Manuj K. Saikia, Dr Mohd Yunus and Dr M. Kapoor.

“This girl had a hole in her heart from birth. She, however, obtained relief today once she underwent the open heart surgery at NEIGRIHMS,” an institute official said. He added that for the first time, a “beating heart open heart repair of atrial septal defect” was conducted in the region.

“Blood from the left side of the heart was crossing over to the right side of the heart, adding to the burden of the right heart and lungs of this patient,” he said.

He said the patient underwent a cosmetic open-heart surgery through her right chest instead of the routine midline chest surgery.

“This beating heart operation marks another milestone in the history of NEIGRIHMS and is likely to open a chapter for similar ventures in the region. It will also add to the teaching and training of other doctors in the department of cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery and cardiology, as well as anaesthesiology and critical care medicine,” the official said.

He said Dr Ahangar has laid much emphasis on innovations and new techniques and the conduct of various procedures at the institute.

“The director has opened a new chapter towards this goal of optimum medicare to the poor, downtrodden and neglected sections of society in the region,” he said.

The institute is also planning to conduct a laparoscopic cholecystectomy camp for two days in the first week of December free of cost.